Made in Slough

[Ultravanillasmurf]

While pursuing something else down the rabbit hole, I saw this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_2CV#Britain

In 1959, the British Royal Navy ordered 65 2CV pick-ups from the Slough plant, following sea tests aboard HMS Bulwark in the West Indies and the Indian Ocean during 1957–58, with the Westland Whirlwind helicopters of 845 squadron RNAS. The pick-ups also served aboard HMS Albion. They were to serve as motor transport with the 42nd Commando regiment of the Royal Marines, which required robust and reliable vehicles to cope with jungle tracks, that were light enough to be taken ashore by helicopter from the aircraft carriers

I know, single source, but entertaining.

[Capt Troy Tempest]

Sort of heath robinson thing the Brits do very well.

Friend of mine into LDV, should see drawing of some of the contraption they’ve found. Galvanised dustbin mortar looks very scary to be at firing end.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Just spotted a transcription error in the Wikipedia text, it refers 42nd Commando, which I am sure should be 42 (four-two) Commando.

[CapnJim]

It'll be interesting to see if you can cobble one of those together!   

[Ultravanillasmurf]

It'll be interesting to see if you can cobble one of those together!   

Well the beginning of the rabbit hole was I picked up a 2CV at Warfare...

[carlos marighela]

They definitely existed, not as gun buggies with the RM but as towing tractors on HMS Bulwark and as lightweight pickups . Too late for Suez, no real use in Aden or Borneo, save for the ship-board tractor role and all three services went Land Rover crazy in the 1960s.

By the by the 'lightweight' option for RCLs in the mid 1950s through to early mid 1960s was the M40 106mm RCL, there are extant photos of them mounted by the paras on Austin Champs in Suez and elsewhere. I doubt that 75mm RCLs would have been specifically purchased for these.

A single item did see service in Algeria with the French Army and it's fairly well documented photographically. Both the 75mm RCL and a 20mm Mauser cannon (Empress and Eureka respectively in 28mm) were fitted.

https://2cv-legende.com/2cv-militaire-1961

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/2cv-ghan1/

The modern rebuild seems to be an homage to that one.

Still, as a 'what if' it's a magnificent bit of kit. I note you already have a 2CV but there's a fabulous, wargamer simple 1/43 kit of the 2CV by Heller, if you fancy chopping one into these. I know you really want one as a justification to put your old Lloyd Cole records on the turntable.

[vtsaogames]

Many, many years ago I had a plastic model of the USMC Ontos, which mounted 6 X 75mm recoilless rifles. If you can find one or parts thereof, there goes a recoilless rifle.

[carlos marighela]

Empress produce the 75mm RCL in their Indochina range. The RCLs on the Ontos were 106mm.

[vtsaogames]

I stand corrected. Actually, I sit corrected.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

That article on the GHAN (not the train) is interesting.

I can imagine a Aube Rouge scenario with French 2CV Technicals fighting against Soviet invaders.

[carlos marighela]

In which case you want Jean Paul Belmondo providing just the right amount of Gallic insouciance on one of these.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Cool.

[CapnJim]

Good things that's recoilless....

[carlos marighela]

Absolute bugger to park it though.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Good things that's recoilless....

Murphy's laws of combat state (amongst other things) that recoilless rifles are not.
^__^